The present invention relates to an electronic ignition timing coil replacement tool and particularly to such a tool for the accurate orientation of the operating components with respect to an electronic trigger coil.
Internal combustion engines include a distributor for sequentially coupling of the several cylinder ignition devices to a high voltage power supply and thereby providing the repetitive sequential firing of the cylinders. Ignition during a precise period of each 360 degree cylinder functioning is significant and practically critical to proper and optimum engine operation. High voltage electronic ignition systems have been developed with the advent of solid state electronic devices. The electronic ignition systems maintain use of a distributor. However, the conventional contacts which were used to open and break the circuit of a high ignition coil have been replaced with magnetic pickup or trigger units for controlling the sequential transfer of energy through a solid state circuit for firing of the cylinders in the repetitive sequence. In such systems, a pickup or trigger coil is mounted within the distributor unit to generate triggering pulses which are fed to the ignition circuit to establish sequential firing of the cylinders. The distributor includes magnetic pulse signal forming devices including a magnetic rotating element which rotates into sequential alignment with magnetic elements coupled to a trigger coil to create time spaced pulses in the coil. A shaping circuit is connected to the coil to generate trigger signals with the alignment of the rotating magnetic elements. In a particular configuration, an annular magnetic core has generally sharp-pointed pyramidal elements circumferentially distributed about the inner surface and an opposed pyramidal rotor element rotatably mounted there. As the magnet rotor element moves past the sharp-pointed core elements, the magnetic flux change is such as to generate a signal pulse in the coil. The accurate, precise location of the elements is critical to proper functioning of the ignition system. Any physical engagement between the core elements and the rotor element will rapidly destroy the fine sharp or pointed ends creating a distorted air gap, and create ignition misfiring and generally poor engine operation. Similarly misalignment of the rotor and core can vary the air gap and create mistriggering of the ignition system. The coil is generally an encapsulated unit mounted within the distributor and connected in circuit through suitable fine circuit leads. The coil proper and in particular the connecting leads are a further common source of ignition malfunction. Whenever the coil is replaced the rotor must be removed and accurately replaced with respect to the pick up units.
Location and accurate positioning of the pick up elements is difficult in general because the pick up elements are located in a planar construction within the base of the distributor. The rotor then mounted onto the assembly and the alignment of the rotor and the core elements appropriately adjusted. Difficulty is present, however, in visually checking the gapping and because repositioning of the core element with respect to one gap may vary the positioning with respect to another gap.